


Which Way the Wind Blows

by BuzzCat



Series: 30 Day Cheesy Tropes And Rare Pairs Challenge [20]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: F/M, alternate universe - witch, set during and before Thor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-21
Updated: 2016-12-21
Packaged: 2018-09-10 20:32:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8938102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BuzzCat/pseuds/BuzzCat
Summary: As a witch, Darcy can feel when something big is coming. She can feel something coming when she and Jane move their research out to the desert, but even an alien prince doesn't totally explain what Darcy feels coming. An agent in the middle of the desert who knows what he's seeing, however, that might just explain the feeling in her skin.





	

Darcy had been a witch for as long as she could remember. He grandmother had taught her how to feel the air and tell when a storm was coming, her aunt showed her how to cast wards and protect those around her, her mother had taught her how to pull tarot cards and tell what someone wasn’t telling her. And now it was left to Darcy, with knowledge and no one to teach. For now, that was okay. She had time. But it was just Darcy, Jane, and occasionally Erik. She knew a storm was coming, each time she stopped to listen she could hear the wind starting to whistle closer and closer. She’d pulled tarot cards and knew something was coming, some big shake-up that she couldn’t hope to control but only prepare for. Darcy had cast every ward she could, prepared everything she could. Now, she was restless. With a storm coming, energy built up in the air and energy built up in Darcy. She could feel it sparking between her fingers, collecting in her joints. She’d started making sure not to get too close to Jane’s machines in case she shorted something out.

“Darcy, you’re going to wear an actual hole in the floor if you keep pacing,” Jane said, without looking up from her notes. Darcy sighed, collapsing into her chair. An electric shock zapped her arm and Darcy rolled her eyes before standing back up. Jane watched her pace for a moment, “Darcy, what’s wrong?”

“I just…I feel like something’s going to happen. Something big.”

“Darcy, we’re in the middle of the desert. Aside from some truly amazing science, what could possibly happen?” Darcy didn’t know how to explain to Jane the feeling in her bones. Nothing felt right, like her skin was too small for her body or like her body was too small for skin; Darcy didn’t know but something felt off.

When Thor fell from the sky, Darcy suddenly knew what was wrong. She waited, waited until Jane was engrossed in her work and Thor and Erik were out drinking. Darcy mentioned something about going out for slushies and Jane waved her away. She walked out into the desert until their camper was only a distant light. Darcy took a deep breath and felt herself tap into the earth. The earth in the desert was so different from the earth in Virginia, but the energy was still there. She felt parts of her fall away, the stress and energy that had kinked up in her flow back into the nature from whence it came. She moved slowly, letting her feet drag trails in the sand. Part of Darcy’s practice had always been connecting with the natural world and it was no different now. She closed her eyes and let out a slow deep breath. She heard the animals in their burrows shifting at the energetic shift. She felt the wind slowly moving over her skin, chilling her through her jacket. It was an old dance, one Darcy had performed since childhood. It was individual to each witch and it was constantly changing as the witch changed. Darcy’s arms moved with her, flowing with the energy she felt flowing around her. It was a different energy from the nervousness that had plagued her for days. This energy was around her and through her, not pent up but moving freely. It felt good, better than soaking into a warm bath.

As Darcy finished her dance, she felt the energy around her and in her settling. She was herself again, more grounded in her own being. Darcy was only herself and nothing and no one else. It felt good.

“You know, I haven’t seen that done in a long time.”

Darcy whirled around to see a man in a suit standing there. From his rather stiff posture, he looked like he’d been standing there a while. Darcy immediately called up the energy she’d just dispersed, letting it settle like a baseball in her hands. She wasn’t sure what throwing it at him would do, but she’d left her taser in her camper and if the energy followed her emotions and intentions like it tended to, whatever it did to the man wouldn’t be good.

“What did you see?” she asked.

“Well, unless I’m very much mistaken, I just saw a witch’s dance,” he said. Darcy paled slightly. The man shuffled forward, looking at his feet and looking back at her, “Of course, I could be mistaken.”

“That you could be,” Darcy said cautiously. The man stepped forward,

“Agent Coulson, Miss Lewis,” he said. Darcy’s eyes narrowed,

“You stole my iPod.”

“A precaution. We needed to make sure we obtained all of Dr. Foster’s research.”

“Well, go to hell, buddy, because I just downloaded like thirty songs.”

“You’ll get it back, Miss Lewis. However, I would very much like to discuss what just happened.”

“And I’d like to graduate debt-free, yet here we are.”

“A genuine witch, Miss Lewis, is something I haven’t seen in a very long time.” Agent Coulson waited for a response. Darcy gave him nothing. She’d been taught another thing since she was very young: No one can know you’re a witch. Especially agents from acronym organizations. Memory wiping was a little beyond her, but she had a feeling Great-grandma Lewis might be able to help her out, given a little time. Coulson held out his elbow, “May I escort you back to your camper, Miss Lewis?” Reluctantly, Darcy let the energy gathered in her hands fall back into the earth. She put her arm through Coulson’s,

“You may, Secret Agent Man.” Darcy wasn’t big on trusting secret agents, but for now it was much safer and easier to play his game. Anything she did would be reported in minutes and then they’d really be up the creek. Besides, he was warm and the air was cold. She appreciated the warmth, but she was silent. Rule number one of staying out of trouble: never confess to something until they’ve already confirmed you’ve done it. Coulson was the first to speak, though he made an excellent show of patience,

“My mother was a witch. I never learned, regretfully. Didn’t have the patience for it. But I watched how she did things. I know enough to recognize it, but not enough to do it.” They were closer to the camper now; Darcy could make out individual lights through the window. Coulson stopped walking and turned to Darcy, “I know the power witches can wield, Miss Lewis. I have no desire to make an enemy of you. I only ask that you allow me and my people to do our job. We won’t get in your way if you will stay out of ours.” Darcy gently removed her arm from his and crossed her arms to ward off the sudden cold,

“Well, you see that’s funny. Because my job, literally written into my internship job expectation, is to assist Jane in all her research. Therefore, if completing my job were to come at the cost of obstructing yours, it would be my responsibility to do so to the best of my ability,” Darcy said. Agent Coulson smiled politely at her,

“I’m glad we can understand each other, Miss Lewis. And I’m afraid I must leave you here, lest your compatriots think less of you for meeting with me.”

“Of course. Well, I can safely say that unless you have my iPod, I hope to never see you again.” Darcy held out her hand and Agent Coulson shook it. Darcy continued on toward the camper while Agent Coulson continued out into the darkness for parts unknown. They were parted by a few steps before he turned to her,

“Miss Lewis?”

Darcy turned to look at him.

“If something were to happen and we found ourselves in need of a witch, you may find yourself called upon. Providing that it does not contradict your internship expectations, can we count on you for assistance?”

Darcy looked out into the night. Something had changed, something felt different in the air. It didn’t feel stressful, like it had before. This felt…this felt good. Calming. Whatever was coming now, whatever Agent Coulson had brought in with him, was something Darcy had been waiting for, whether she realized it or not. She smiled at Agent Coulson,

“We’ll see which way the wind is blowing that day.”

 

A week later, when Jane’s research and Darcy’s iPod were returned, there was a letter addressed to Darcy. She opened it to find a phone number and note _: If the wind is blowing in my direction.  -Phil_

Darcy smiled and put the number in her phone. Whatever Phil Coulson had brought in, Darcy was glad it had come.


End file.
